More 'me-tooing' from desperate Government

Mr Swain was commenting on the
announcement today that after years of inaction the
Government had finally decided to do something about the
competition problems in the telecommunications
industry.

"The moves are hopelessly overdue and
inadequate. This is not surprising as they were obviously
hustled together at the last minute in an attempt to match
the leadership Labour is showing in the telecommunications
and competition areas.

"Labour has made a policy
commitment to introduce stronger consumer protections into
the Commerce Act and to hold an inquiry into the
telecommunications sector.

"The reason Labour has opted
for this approach is because the issues are complex and the
solutions must be workable. For this, it is essential that
industry have the opportunity to make submissions.

"Labour
is committed to protecting the consumer and to removing any
roadblocks on the information super-highway. One of those
roadblocks is clearly the National Government.

"Today's
statement from National is another example of how
increasingly arrogant and out-of-touch the Government is.
The risk is that this ham-fisted approach to change will
produce as big a botch of the telecommunication reforms as
they did of the electricity reforms."

It is time they
stood aside for an incoming Labour Government with a clear
vision and strategy for the telecommunications industry and
for the transformation to the knowledge
economy.

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